Seven Days
by EnglishDruid
Summary: Partial songfic - Under the moonlight, two friends think back over the past week. AAML


"Seven Days"

Takes place after "Gotta Catch Ya Later!" Misty and Brock left Ash seven days ago. He has since been back to Pallet to deposit all his pokemon but Pikachu and is currently heading for the ferry to the Hoenn region to start his Pokemon journey anew.

Song 'Thoughts'  
"Speech"  
(Pokemon translation)

She awoke with a start and out of habit looked across the smouldering embers of the campsite, looking for him. Then she remembered. It had been seven days since she had been home, forced to leave his side with barely a moments notice, and there were no campfire embers, or sleeping bags, or him. She got up and sadly stepped across the carpet of her bedroom in the Cerulean Gym and up to the window and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful clear moonlit night, like so many she had seen over the last five years, but now something, no someONE was missing. Misty choked back a sob and ran her fingers through her firey red hair. It was at times like this she took comfort in music. One of her favourite songs seemed to be particularly relevant to her feelings right now. She took a deep breath and started to sing, quietly at first, but then louder as her emotions ran closer to the surface.

Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight. Someone's thinking of me, and loving me tonight.

At the same time, hundreds of miles away, a boy was staring up at that same sky, with deep sadness in his hazel eyes. He closed his eyes and tried to get comfortable in his sleeping bag, but there was something missing. He tried not to think of the empty space where she would have slept. His eyes started to itch, and he fiercely held back the tears threatening to overwhelm him. He checked to make sure he hadn't woken Pikachu, but the little yellow pokemon was still fast asleep. He quietly stood up, slipped on his clothes and started to walk away from the campsite. Once he was sure he was out of earshot, he allowed his tears to flow, completely blinding himself but not even caring. He walked without knowing where he was even going, as if in a daze until he looked up and found himself by a small forest spring. It was beautiful, pure unspoilled blue water, the moons reflection shimmering on the surface. He couldnt control his emotions then and fell to his knees sobbing his heart out. Everything reminded him of her, the colours, the sounds, the water itself. He wept and wept until there were no more tears to come. Finally, he lay on his back, exhausted by his outburst. Then he remembered something Misty had once told him. A story about two lovers torn apart by fate, one of her favourite stories as he recalled. In it the girl had told her love that if they were ever seperated, he had only to sing and she would hear him, wherever she was and however far apart they were. He had openly scoffed at that, earning himself a whack from her trusty mallet, but now, somehow, he understood how the lovers must have felt. A little self- consciously at first, but growing in confidence, Ash opened his mouth and began to sing.

Somewhere out there, someones saying a prayer. That we'll find one another, in that big somewhere out there.

As he sang, his thoughts wandered back seven days, to the day when his life fell apart. He, Misty, Pikachu and Brock had just arrived at the Viridian City Pokemon Centre when Misty received THAT phone call. He remembered all too well the horrible sick feeling in his stomach when he realised that Misty would have to be leaving them... no, leaving HIM. He had put on a brave face that day even though it felt like his very soul was being torn apart. He hadn't wanted to make the parting any harder on his best friend than it already was, so he had put on a fake cheery voice and encouraged her to go right away. It was only now, looking back on his words that he realised how cold he must have sounded to her. 'Misty, I know you can't hear me but I'm so very very sorry...'

And even though I know how very far apart we are. It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star.

He silently cursed himself as he recalled his thoughtless and clumsy words to her. Thinking back on them now under the pale moonlight, he couldn't believe how cold and unfeeling he had sounded, and how hurt she had been at his apparent lack of concern. He hadn't been able to bring himself even then, knowing she was leaving, possibly forever, to show any feelings for her, though the holding back was crippling him, he couldnt let her know how miserable he felt. 'Ash you fool, why did you let her go without telling her your true feelings?!' he thought bitterly. Tears welled up in his hazel eyes and this time he let them fall without any attempt to hold them back.

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby. It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky.

As Misty continued to sing, her thoughts wandered back to that terrible day one week ago. How her heart had sunk at the thought of her sisters, how her heart had shattered as they told her she had to come home immediately, and worst of all, how little Ash had seemed to care. He had been more concerned that she could leave immediately on her newly repaired bike. 'Oh Ash' she thought 'Why didn't you care? Didn't you even see how much you hurt me with your lack of interest? Did all those years alongside me mean so little? Didnt't you realize how much you had come to mean to me?' She had almost told him how she truely felt as they walked along the route together for the last time, but then remembered how indifferent he had been at the news of her leaving, and decided against it, making up some pathetic comment about "make sure you ... always do your best" to cover the awkward moment.

Pikachu stirred from his rest, disturbed by the distant sound of...singing? He looked over at Ash's sleeping bag, lying empty on the ground beside him, and with a confused "Pikapi?" quietly started to follow his master's tracks. They led him through the dark forest to a quiet spring, and as he approached, the singing became louder and more clear. Pikachu's ears pricked up as he recognised his master's voice, but there was something wrong. There was nothing but misery in the singer's tone. No, there was something else, an undercurrent of... hope? Quietly he made his way over to where Ash sat singing with tears pouring down his cheeks.

Somewhere out there if love can see us through. Then we'll be together, somewhere out there, out where dreams come true.

'Wherever you are Ash, I wish you all the happiness and love in the world, even if you can never return those feelings.' As Misty looked up at the beautiful moonlit night she smiled despite herself.

Their song was over, but two young tear-streaked faces were still staring up at that same big sky.

As Ash finished singing, he felt a gentle tug at his sleeve. 'It couldn't be?!' he thought to himself, and slowly turned around. A pair of concerned eyes met his, but they didn't belong to the friend he had been praying to see.

"Pika pi pichu pikachu-pi? Chu chu pi? (You're thinking about Misty again aren't you? You really miss her don't you?)"

Caught with his guard completely down, it didn't even occur to him to try to disguise his emotions. He wiped his eyes dry and sighed.

"Yes, yes I do miss her buddy, more than I ever thought I would..."

"Pi pika pichu pipi? (So tell her how you feel about her)"

"But what if she doesnt feel the same way as I do?!" he burst out in despair.

"Pikiki chu pi pi (C'mon, what do you have to lose?)"

"The thing I treasure most in the whole world, our friendship."

"Pika pikapi pi chu pikachu-pi pika chuu (I heard your song Ash, you want more than just friendship with Misty)"

Ash's face went pale. "You were eavesdropping on me?! Pikachu I can't believe you would do that!"

"Pika pichu PIKA... (Do I have to Thunderbolt you before you face up to this...?!)

"..." Ash sighed "No, you are right as usual Pikachu, I've been a fool to keep this to myself and its eating me up inside. I have to do something or I'll go insane!"

The two friends headed back to their campsite, and Ash took out the map they had been following.

"There it is buddy, only a few more miles along the main path, Draco Town! It's BOUND to have a Pokemon centre there, and thats about the only place I can think of that would have a phone I could use at this time of night. Let's go!"

"PIKA! (YEAH!)"

A faint smile spread across both their faces as Pikachu took up his usual place on Ash's shoulder and held on tight as the young man packed up his sleeping bag, stamped out the embers of their campfire and started to make his way along the dirt track. Somehow the night didn't seem as cold or empty as it had an hour ago.

In what seemed like seconds, but was in fact slightly under an hour, the two reached the top of the hill overlooking Draco Town. The Pokemon centre was easily spotted from their high vantage point and they hurried down the hill towards it. Of course, it was closed for the night, and Ash had known it would have been, but he was also aware that by its very nature there would be provision for pokemon emergencies at any hour, day or night. He gulped, fully aware that what he was doing probably wouldn't be considered as one by the local Nurse Joy, but also unwilling to turn back.

"Well buddy, here goes..."

He stretched out his hand and pressed the button marked "Emergency". Almost immediately a light went on in the centre and barely a minute later the doors slid open to reveal Nurse Joy and a Chancey wheeling a pokemon stretcher.

"Please come in, we will take good care of your pokemo..." She took a good look at the two standing in front of her. "That's odd, your Pikachu looks in perfect condition, and I don't see any pokeballs on your belt. Young man, you have some explaining to do. Do you realise what time it is? This is a centre for sick pokemon! If this is some kind of joke..."

Ash interrupted her. "Please Nurse Joy, I HAVE to use one of your phones, it's an emergency!"

"Well why didn't you say so? Please come in." she said, her frown changing to her usual warm smile. "The phones are right over there, I'll be in my office if you need me."

She pointed towards the wide open hallway, and a row of vidphones. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and Ash hurried over to the phones, mumbling his thanks. Then he stopped, his expression suddenly clouding.

"Pika pichu pikachu-pi pi... (Don't tell me you've forgotten Misty's number...)"

"No buddy, that's not it..." The enormity of what he was about to do had finally dawned on the young man. Once this phone call was made, things between him and Misty would never be the same again.

"It's nearly 2am... what if she doesn't answer? What if she's mad at me for calling at this time of morning?! What if she says she never wants to see me again and hangs up?! What if..."

The mere thought of never seeing her again left him in a cold sweat.

"PIKA-PI PIKA PI! Pika-chu... (JUST CALL HER! Gah... humans...)"

Swallowing hard, Ash dialed all but the last digit of the Cerulean Gym, then turned away from the phone.

"I can't do it buddy, I can't do it. What if she..."

Pikachu took one look at his trainer and best friend's face, thought for a second, then with a wicked gleam in his eye leapt up to the vidphone and pressed the final digit that would start the call that would change his trainer's life forever.

"PIKACHU!" Ash howled in dismay but the damage had already been done. There was no turning back now.

Misty slept fitfully, tossing and turning. She was dreaming of THAT day again, reliving the final moments they had spent together. Only in this dream, or more accurately nightmare, Ash was turning to her and telling her with a truely malicious grin how happy he was to be finally getting rid of the annoying, scrawny, ugly, talentless whining girl who had followed him and made his life a misery for the last 5 years. Under the verbal assault her legs collapsed under her, and she dropped to the ground, hugging her knees and sobbing as he loomed over her, shouting angrily with words she couldn't quite make out. "No... it's not true, this isn't how it was..." she whimpered. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed and woke with a start, a cold sweat on her brow and tears still in her eyes. The nightmare was so vivid she could still hear his voice echoing inside her head. No, wait. That sound wasn't in her head...

RING RING RING RING RING RING PHONE CALL PHONE CALL RING RING RING RING RING RING PHONE CALL PHONE CALL...

Wide awake now, she leaned over and checked her alarm clock. 'Nearly 2am? Who on earth would be calling at this hour?' Wiping her eyes dry, she struggled out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown, slipping it on as she stumbled downstairs to the phone. There was no way she was going to allow anyone to see her in this condition, so she accepted the call as audio only.

"Ummm, hello? Cerulean City Gym."

A very familiar voice answered her.

"Ummm, hello."

Her heart leaped into her throat. 'No... it can't be...'

"Ash? Ash is that you?!"

"Uhh, yeah Mist, it's me..."

'It IS him! Wait a moment... Oh no, something dreadful must have happened for him to be calling at this hour!'

"Oh my god what's happened? Is Pikachu okay? Are you okay?!"

"Uhh, we're both good..."

'Eh? They're both fine? Then...? Hang on a minute...'

"OK KETCHUM WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA? DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?!"

"...yes... I'm sorry Mist... I...I...just"

"Make it good... I could be there in 2 minutes with my mallet if you don't!"

"...I wish... you could be..." he mumbled.

'Did Ash just say he wished I was there?'

"What was that Ash?"

"incoherant mumbling"

"Well if you don't have anything important to say, I'll be going back to sleep..."

'Please don't let me go ...' she silently implored him.

"Please don't go Mist."

She smiled slightly at those words.

"I'm listening."

"Pikachu-pi! (MISTY!)"

"Pikachu! I've missed you so much! Is Ash taking good care of you?"

"Pikachu! (Well duh!)"

There was some more mumbling on the other end of the phone. Misty waited patiently.

"Ash, it's a terrible line, you are going to have to speak up. Where are you?"

"Draco City pokemon centre."

'That must be the first pokemon centre phone line I've ever known to have bad connection...'

"Ah that's better, I can hear you clearly now. So... why did you call at 2 o'clock in the morning if it wasnt important? You know beauty sleep is important for us girls..."

"...not for you..."

"Ash, you're mumbling again ... could you repeat what you just said?"

"I said, not for you."

'Did he just say...? Could it be...? I'm taking a big chance here... but I have to know...'

"Not for me? You mean I'm so ugly not even beauty sleep could help me?!" She let out a quiet sob.

"Noooo!" Ash howled. "That's not what I meant at all Mist!"

'Wow that really got to him... does that mean...?'

"I meant... you don't need sleep to be... beautiful"

'HE SAID I'M BEAUTIFUL?!'

"Ummm Ash Ketchum...was that a compliment you just paid me?"

"Uhhh, I guess..."

There was a long pause as both teens thought over what had just been said.

"Mist?"

"Yes Ash?"

"Can I ... see you?"

Her face went bright red. 'Not like this you can't!'

"Uhh, just give me a few seconds... Don't you dare go anywhere!"

He gave a small chuckle.

"I'm not going anywhere."

She hurried upstairs to the bathroom and quickly applied makeup in an attempt to cover the tear streaks, and eyeliner to hide her puffy eyelids.

Ash stood nervously at the phone, wondering if she was going to come back. He shuffled his feet and looked down at Pikachu, who gave him a reasuring smile and thumbs up. After what seemed to him like an eternity...

"I'm back!"

"Mist! I was beginning to think you weren't coming back..."

She switched the phone to visual display.

"Sorry I kept you waiting, I'm here now."

He also changed the display to visual.

Their eyes met.

Her face was pale, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were red rimmed and her eyelids were clearly puffy, but Ash didn't think he had ever seen anything more perfect in his whole life.

His face was pale, his cheeks were flushed, his eyes were red rimmed and his eyelids were clearly puffy, but Misty didn't think she had ever seen anything more perfect in her whole life.

'Those eyes... I could just drown in them' both teens thought.

"Ummm, Ash..." Misty said, breaking the silence. "Didn't you have a reason for calling me?"

"Yeah... yeah I did..."

She waited for a few seconds and when he didnt continue...

"Well? Let's hear it?"

"Ummm... I ... erm... miss you..."

Her heart beat faster. 'He misses me? But that doesn't necessarily mean... I mean he could just mean he misses me like a friend.'

"I mean it Mist, I really really miss you. This last week just hasn't been the same. Nothing I've done has ..."

"Ash?" she spoke softly.

'Ah hell you've come this far... as Pikachu said, what do you have to lose?'

"Nothing this last week has seemed to matter...without you..."

She thought her heart had skipped a beat 'Ash... can you finally have worked it out?'

"Mist?" There was an anxious tone to his voice. She realised she hadn't said anything in response.

"I'm still here Ash, I'm still here. And Ash? I miss you too. Life at the Gym seems so empty..."

"Oh, how's that going by the way?"

"Ash Ketchum don't even TRY to change the subject! You were saying...?"

He swallowed hard, and broke eye contact with her, looking down at the floor.

'C'mon Ketchum, this is your last chance! TELL HER!'

"The last five years have been the best of my life... and the last seven days have been the worst."

"Ash..."

"I've barely eaten, I've barely slept, I've not even thought about catching a single pokemon and I haven't challenged a single trainer to a battle."

His voice got quieter and more withdrawn as he continued to speak, almost as if he were talking to himself.

"I wake in the morning and the first thing I do is look across to where you used to sleep. Every single day that I don't see you there feels like a Razor Leaf through my heart. Everything I see reminds me of you."

He finally looked up and gazed into her deep blue eyes.

"I didn't understand how important you had become to me. The day we had to part..." He choked back a little sob. "The day we had to part, I think I finally realised... but it was too late to do anything about it. I tried to be strong for you, but inside I was falling apart..."

Tears welled up inside Misty's eyes too as she watched Ash lay his soul bare to her.

"It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, to watch you walk away. And I've regretted it every single hour of every single day this last week. That's why I'm here tonight... to tell you what I ought to have told you seven days ago."

'Ash, you've said so much, but there is still one thing I want to... NEED to hear from you...'

He wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers, cleared his throat several times, looked down, took his cap off and twirled it around in his hands, then looked back into her beautiful cerulean blue eyes. 'This is it Ketchum... the moment of truth...'

"Misty Waterflower, I love you."

'HE SAID IT!' Misty's heart leaped for joy inside her! She felt so lightheaded the room seemed to be spinning around her and she had to hold onto the sides of the phone for support.

"Oh Ash Ketchum, I love you too!"

The two teens moved to embrace each other, only for the reality of their situation to come crashing down. They were still hundreds of miles apart, and only in contact through a vidphone. Neither could touch the other, the thing they both wanted more than anything in the whole world.

"I'm so sorry I let you go!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

"It's alright, I love you!" again, both simultaneously. Then they burst out laughing.

"You first"

"No, you!"

"OK I will" once again, both teens spoke at the same time.

"PIKA! PIKAPI PIKACHU-PI CHU PI (YAY! ASH & MISTY TOGETHER AT LAST!)" squealed Pikachu, leaping into Ash's arms.

"I'll be coming back to Kanto on the next ferry... I have to see you!"

"Now Ash don't tell me you are even THINKING about giving up your Pokemon journey!" exclaimed Misty, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Hehehe not at all, but I can start it next week... after all, we have seven days of catching up to do." grinned her new boyfriend.

"That we do, that we do." She matched his grin with one of her own, so big it threatened to split her face in two.

From her office, Nurse Joy dabbed tears from her eyes.

'That certainly was an emergency... of the heart. It was a good thing there were no other trainers or pokemon here tonight, those two would have certainly woken them all up!'

She quietly drew the door shut, switched off all the centre lights other than the one in the phone lobby, and went back to her warm bed and drifted off happily to sleep, thoughts of young love in her dreams.


End file.
